Thursday, July 09, 2009

Pell's Stem Cell Grant

HOPING to contribute to the end of the use of embryos in research, the Catholic Church is offering a $100,000 grant for research into the medical use of adult stem cells.The Sydney Archdiocese announced the grant today, saying it is still vehemently opposed to embryonic stem cell research but approves of the use of adult stem cells.Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell says adult stem cells can already be used in the treatment of heart and liver disease."The Catholic Church promotes and encourages medical research and we strongly support stem cell research and other forms of biotechnology that respect the dignity of every human life," Cardinal Pell said in a statement."Advances in adult stem cell research have been extremely impressive."The Catholic Church says the grant will be awarded by an independent assessment panel.This is the fourth adult stem cell grant the Church has awarded since 2002, with $300,000 already given.

3 comments:

I read in the Tablet that an Anglican vicar in Iraq has received successful adult stem cell therapy there for his severe illness—I think it might have been Parkinson's, or possible MS. I gather that this is not available in the UK.

Isn't placenta matter useful for these issues and ethically acceptable. In fact I think I am right in saying that stem cells from the placenta are very good because they still have the potential to develop into anything. However, is there a placenta bank?

As far as I know there is no placenta bank, but it is being used in research. I was asked during an ante-natal appointment if I would consider allowing the placenta to be collected by the midwife and used for research purposes after I gave birth.

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